Music Streamer Quality

This is still a timely topic.  Like many, I have (and love) Sonos all over the house but wondering if 'steaming' can be improved for high res systems.  Just feels like my Simaudio 750D DAC deserves better streaming [hardware] input if possible.  For me CD quality 16/44.1 has always been just fine and I can't say I can really hear benefits of higher res than that.  So putting the DAC aside, who makes a better 'Steamer' for simple 16/44.1 resolution then Sonos? and what actually makes this competitor Streamer better?

@falconquest @nekoaudio - both the mentioned Aurender and LUMIN appear to be really nice audiophile grade components. Interesting.

So, what I was struggling to understand was - what makes a great Steamer?

We know ‘Speed’ of digital packet delivery is important. However, since these are digital packets (zeros and ones), then either the entire digital packet is delivered, or none of it. And if a packet is NOT delivered to the DAC, I believe the worst that can happen - is that the music will stop until the device buffers back up and then the music will restart again. And as long as your internet connection and streamer is fast enough, you should not have this problem.

So what are the other hardware / software characteristics of a good Steamer?

@nekoaudio - So Yes, definitely the UI, connectivity, compatibility, reliability, materials used, product features offered and support are all important consideration. And I am particular keen on the ’sound quality’ aspect of a streamer. I believe, (to your point) a big factor is again, ’clean power’ supply, isolation and jitter management. Even in as simple devices as [what I thought were] Streamers.

And @thyname to your point, coming from pure analogue rigs, I am one of those people who believe(d) in Chromecast [but I am working on my self to change that belief now :-) ] Problem is, I’ve tried Sonos streaming from Spotify vs playing CDs on Esoteric DV50 and DV60 players - found Esoteric sounded better then Sonos, but not by that much (using a PS Audio Direct Stream DAC). I found NO difference Streaming from Spotify via Sonos vs Cambridge Audio Azur 851N (using the Azur 851N DAC) , and NO difference streaming Spotify with the PS Audio Bridge II vs Sonos (using the PS Audio DAC). These were simple 16/44.1 AB tests. I am not sure if I compared everything according to the ’scientific method’ :-), but I couldn’t be that far off, keeping cables and downstream high res equipment consistent.
Perhaps, the reason why everything sounded ’close’ or ’simular’ is because I was using a really good Synergistic Research PowerCell, and dedicated 20A line which the PowerCell loves. So perhaps that helped with signal noise floor?.

@gawdbless thank you for sharing! Loved it. I did not know these simple customizations were so easy to find for the ResPi, I am going to try one!

Yes, Good point. So i should have mentiined that i also tested streaming FLAC 16/44.1 using Jriver MC (using Sonos vs The Esoteric CD players - using same dacs) and (Sonos vs Ps Audio Bridge 2 - same dac) and (Sonos vs Azur 851N -same dac) These tests sounded same as well. Used Coex connections to dac when streamer is not internal. Sonos and azur input is wifi. Ps audio bridge 2 input via Lan. Now i am testing streaming with the really transparent Simaudio 750D DAC, so i guess i am reaching out to understand flaws in my tests cause Sonos connect sound pretty comparable to suposedly better steamers.